Apparatus for leaching ores



No. 623,772. Patented Apr. 25,1899." A. F. DUEY.

APPARATUS FOR LEACHING ORES.

(Application fllediSept. 10, 1898.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES //v VENT/5 M&w4- a M\ v BY A rromvs r3 m: NoRrus P 0., ASNINCITON. n. c.

-UNlTE STA ES ALBERT F. DUEY, OF

SALIDA, OOLORAD O.

APPARATUS FOR L-EACHING ORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,772, dated April 25, 1899.

Application filed September 10, 1398. Serial No. 690,682. (No model.)

T 0 all whont it 77%07 concern:

Be it known that'I, ALBERT F. DUEY, of Salida, in the county of Gha'ffee and State of Colorado, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Leaching Ores, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates'to an improvement in devices for leaching ores, and comprises the novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both views.

Figure l is an elevation of my device, the

leaching-tank being shown in section; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

In various chemical processes for extracting mineral from ores they are subjected to a leaching process, and the valuable mineral is dissolved bythe liquid and then drawn off for further treatment. I have devised an improved apparatus by which the process may be carried into effect.

The apparatus includes a leaching-tank A, which may be of any approved construction, but is herein shown as having a conical bottom in order that the ore after treatment may be readily drawn off. Near the lower end of the conical bottom is placed a plate H, which is perforated so that air or liquid may pass through the same, the plate at the same time serving to hold back the ores. A pipe I, having a valve 1 therein, is connected to the tank just above the plate H, and through said pipe the ores after treatment are drawn off. Just above the plate H is a perforated pipe E, which may be of any desirable shape, but is shown as a coil. This pipe extends through one side of the tank and is provided with a valve E, by means of which it may be cut off from the other apparatus when desired. The pipe E connects with a pipe D, provided with the valve d and leading into the top of an air-reservoir B, said reservoir being charged with compressed air by an air-pu mp L. Between the leaching-tank A and the air-reservoir B a pipe 0 is connected with the pipe D. This pipe C is provided with a controlling-valve and connects with the tank C,

said tank being used to store the liquid with which the ore is to be treated.

In the bottom of the tank A, as herein shown just above the perforated pipe E, is located a filtering device by which the liquid may be Withdrawn from the tank without removing any of the ore. This device is herein shown as a pipe F, preferably of lead or other material upon which the chemicals used will not act. This pipe is perforated and is covered with a layer F of cloth or other fibrous filtering material which is not readily acted.

upon by the chemicals.

The pipe Q, which, leads from the tank A and is connected with the filtering-pipe, conmeets with a pump G and is provided with a controlling-valve K between the pump and the tank. The discharge-pipe of the pump empties into atub J or other suitable receptacle and is provided with a controlling-valve O. A pipe M connects the pump-discharge with the pipe D, so that the liquid which passes through the pump G may, if desired, be forced back into the perforated pipe E, so as to be passed a second time through the ore. The pipe M is provided with a valve N, by which the same may be closed. The leaching-tank A may be provided with a second air connection consisting of the pipe D, leading from the bottom of the tank to the side of the air-reservoirB and provided with a valve P.

The operation of my device is as follows: The ore is first pulverized by any approved means and is placed within the tank A. The valves in the pipes G and D are then opened, so as to admit the liquid from the tank G and the air from the reservoir B to the perforated pipe E,'and the air and liquid are together discharged upward into the ore. This is continned until the ore has becomesaturated with the liquid. The air rising through the ore will keep it constantly stirred up, so that there is an intimate contact between the liquid and the ore. This stirring of the ore by the bubbles of air rising through it serves to increase the efficiency of the solvent liquid, so that the mineral is more quickly and thoroughly dissolved than would otherwise be the case. WVhen a sufficient amount of the liquid has been thus discharged into the tank,

,, zarr the liquid and air may both be cut olf, if desired, or the liquid-supply may be cut off and the discharge of air continued. This is kept up until it is known by experience that the mineral has been entirely dissolved. The time Will vary according to the character of the particular ore being treated and the solvent used. When it is thought that the solution has become saturated or the mineral all dissolved, the valve K is opened and the liquid is pumped out of the tank, passing through the filter, consisting of the pipe F and the filtering-coating F. The solution is then discharged into the tub J orv any other suitable receptacle; or if it is desired to pass the liquid through the tank asecond time it is discharged through the pipe M into the perforated pipe E. It has been found that this process results in a greater extraction of the mineral from the ore than the ordinary process.

Having thus fully described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A leachingapparatus,comprisingaleachin g tank or vat, means for forcing air through the ore with the leachingliquid, a hollow filter in the tank above the inlet for the air and leaching liquid, a pipe leading from the filter, and a pump connected with the pipe leading from the filter, substantially as described.

2. Aleaching apparatus comprising a tank or vat, a compressed-air reservoir connected with the bottom of the tank or vat, a tank containing the leaching liquid connected with the connection between the air-reservoir and the tank or vat, a hollow filter above the airinlet, and a pump connected with the filter, substantially as described.

Aleachingapparatus,comprisingaleaching tank or vat, a perforated pipe in the bottom thereof, connections from said pipe to a compressed-air supply, a tank containing the leaching, liquid, and connections therefrom to the air-supply pipe whereby the air and liquid are injected together, substantially as described.

4. A leaching apparatus for treating pulverized ores, comprising a tank, and means for injecting air and the leaching liquid at the bottom of the tank, a hollow filter and a pump connected with the filter and by means of Which the liquid can be drawn off, substantially as described;

5. A device for treating pulverized ores, comprising a leaching-tank, means for forcing air into the bottom of the tank, a filter in the tank above the air-inlet,a pump connected with said filter, a perforated pipe in the tank, and a connection between the pump and perforated pipe, substantially as described.

0. A device for treating pulverized ores, comprising a leachingtank, an aircoinpressor, a tank for storing the leaching liquid, a perforated pipe in the bottom of the leaching-tank, connections from the air-compressor and liquid-storing tank to the perforated pipe, and means for drawing the liquid from the leaching-tank, substantially as described.

7. A device for treating pulverized ores, comprising a leaching tank, an air compressor, a tank for storing the leaching liquid, a perforated pipe in the bottom of the leaching-tank, connections from the air-compressor and liquid-storing tank to the perforated pipe, a perforated drainage-pipe in the bottom of the tank, and a layer of filtering material about said pipe, substantially as dedescribed.

ALBERT F. DUEY.

\Vitnesses:

ALEX TETRAULT, ALBERT G. STEPHENS. 

